Biographical information

Henry H. Korn, a member of the Bar of New York (1974) and the United States District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York and the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, is a graduate of Cornell University (A.B. 1968) and New York University School of Law (J.D. 1973) where he was Editor of the Law Review.

From 1973 through 1976, Mr. Korn was an associate with Davis Polk & Wardwell (New York City).

He was appointed Assistant United States Attorney, Criminal Division, Southern District of New York in 1976 and served in that capacity through 1981.

After completing his service as an Assistant United States Attorney, Mr. Korn continuously has engaged in the private practice of law. He specializes in construction, corporate, commercial and general litigation and appeals. Mr. Korn is often retained by corporations, not-for-profit entities, and high profile individuals facing potential criminal and administrative investigations and to fashion alternatives to formal charges and/or prosecution. Mr. Korn has tried over 150 cases and argued over 50 appeals in federal and state appeals courts.

With the assistance of a former client, a scholarship was established at Cornell University for research on war crimes prosecutions. That client endowed a lecture at Cornell Law School entitled, "The Art, Commerce and Ethics of Contemporary Law."

The Cornell lecture series attracts national speakers to address issues involving the practice of law. Lecturers have included the Chairman of the Board of one of the country's largest tobacco companies, the Attorney General, State of New York, and the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York who addressed the Cornell University community about the role of the Justice Department in the war against terrorism in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon.

In October 2003, Mr. Korn co-moderated a panel discussion at Cornell Law School entitled "Accountability for War Crimes in Iraq". The panel included the Special Assistant for War Crimes to the CIA Director and former Clinton Administration Ambassador at Large for War Crimes.

Mr. Korn established the Henry H. Korn Fund for Criminal Justice, which endowed the Domestic Violence Clinic at Pace University School of Law in 1997 for Pace Law students to work with the New York County District Attorney's Office in investigating and prosecuting domestic abuse cases.

Mr. Korn has authored several articles in the New York Law Journal including: "District Attorney Scandal in the Duke University Case," January 3, 2007; "Pitfalls of Construction Facing the Owner: Accounting Traps Found in Standard AIA Documents," November 20, 2006; "The Limits on the Crime Victim's Counsel to Threaten Referral to Law Enforcement Authorities," published February 25, 2005; "Insuring Construction Against Water Infiltration and Mold Contamination," October 25, 2004; and "Building Security Measures and Owner Liability After Sept. 11," May 1, 2003. Mr. Korn also co-authored with Barry B. LePatner, Esq., his former law partner, and Anthony S. Chan of Berdon LLP, “Sarbanes-Oxley’s Wake-up Call to the Construction Industry: Leveraging Compliance and Internal Controls to Manage Risks” in the CPA Journal’s December 2007 issue. Mr. Korn’s article entitled “Curbing Deficient Construction Practices in Hospital Practices” was published in the American University Business Law Review in June 2011. In May 2011, Mr. Korn co-authored in Health Care Development Magazine with his son, Greg Korn, a licensed New York and California architect, “Ensuring Projects are completed On-time and On-budget” specifically addressing the economic value of Design/Build project delivery systems for off-site medical facilities for metro and regional hospitals.

The University of Utah Law School invited Mr. Korn to participate as a panel member in its March 31, 2017 symposium addressing the subject of War Crimes and the Holocaust and Bystander Responsibility. In addition to presenting insights into the origin and precedent for the International Military Tribunals prosecuting Nazi war criminals, Mr. Korn's article, "International Military Tribunals' Genesis, WWII Experience, and Future Relevance", was published by the Utah Law Review and appears in Volume 2017, Number 4.

Mr. Korn is a pro bono participant in the Veterans Assistance Project offered through the Bar Association of the City of New York that assists veterans secure VA benefits to which they are entitled.

REPRESENTATIVE SCOPE OF SERVICE

•Representation of an institutional client that operates one of the country's most respected continuing care facilities in recovery of insurance proceeds from its carrier for damages sustained by the client in the course of construction of a major residential unit development. The matter was resolved after the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York granted summary judgment in favor of Mr. Korn's client declaring that the costs were covered by the builder's risk policy.

•Representation of two owner/builders in separate arbitration proceedings involving the conduct of the general contractor and construction manager handling the build out of their high-end Manhattan residential units. The proceedings involved over 43 hearing days and extensive forensic accounting evidence concerning the financial management of the projects by the contractor and construction manager.

•Representation of a health care institutional client in one of the largest construction litigations in New York, involving over 25 parties, claims for delays in completion, unwarranted and exaggerated liens and design professional errors and omissions, and one month after commencement of trial implementation of a favorable settlement for the client.

•Representation of the owner of a landmark town house in Manhattan in proceedings in New York Supreme Court and before the NYC Department of Buildings to require a neighboring property owner to remove a three-story wall constructed by the neighboring property owner and attached to the town house, in violation of a court order and regulations of the Department of Buildings.

•Representation of the owner of a landmark district building in the West Tribeca Historic District in New York City to secure approval of the City Planning Commission to convert the building from industrial to mixed commercial and loft dwelling use.

•Representation of the Board of Directors of a major regional health care institution in connection with a review of its construction projects undertaken over 8 years and advice to the Board on implantation of system wide construction management changes and internal controls to insure compliance with governmental regulatory agencies and to control cost overruns. In accomplishing this engagement, Mr. Korn worked extensively with forensic auditors who assisted in extensive interviews of institution staff and reviewed electronic and paper documentation.

• Representation of a leading manufacturer in the U.S. of lighting and related fixtures in connection with a product recall investigation by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, structuring a limited recall with the CPSC and termination of monitoring by its staff within one year of the initial product recall notice.

•Representation of the purchaser of property in New York in presentation of claims against the home builder in an action pending in the Supreme Court, New York, where Mr. Korn secured a court ordered pre-judgment restraint barring the transfer of property owned by a principal owner of the builder who resides outside the United States.

•Representation of foreign corporate investment management firm with affiliates in the United States to accomplish the orderly dissolution of the United States affiliates, valuation of client interests and payment to the client.

•Representation of majority owners of closely held real estate company in valuation of minority owner interest, including defense of BCL Article 11 petition for dissolution, full trial on valuation, with Court adopting valuation presented by Mr. Korn’s expert, and defense of appeal to New York intermediate court of appeals and affirmance of lower court order on valuation and dissolution.

•Representation of licensed professionals before the Office of the Professions, New York State, in connection with claims of professional liability, with presentation of evidence at hearings where required.

•Representation of licensed attorneys before the Departmental Disciplinary Committees in connection with proceedings seeking disbarment, suspension or other discipline, and representation of suspended/disbarred clients who seek reinstatement.

•Representation of clients before the Department of Buildings of the City of New York and Environmental Control Board in matters relating to proceedings charging Building Code and related violations.

* Representation of for profit and not for profit developers engaged in construction of affordable housing, including securing license and access agreements.

Representative transactional matters entrusted to Mr. Korn include:

•Preparation and negotiation of all facets of construction contracts for owner, design professional and contractor clients, including for owner and contractor clients, access and indemnity agreements relating to protective work required by the NYC Building Code, party wall access, underpinning and shoring.

•Preparation and negotiation of all facets of organizational formation agreements for limited liability companies, corporations, professional limited liability companies, and joint ventures, including operating agreements and shareholder agreements, and buy-out, dissolution and termination agreements relating thereto.